Flip Front Helmets

Are flip front helmets right for you?

Helmets can generally be split in to three different categories; full face, open face or flip front helmet, which nestles somewhere between the first two.

Flip front helmets, also referred to as flip up or modular helmets, is the category we will be discussing below.

The term flip front helmet means that, by some mechanism, the whole frontal area of the helmet, eg., visor and chin guard area, can be pivoted up, usually by some sort of catch mechanism, to reveal the riders face.

There are some very distinct benefits to the use of flip front helmets:

When you stop somewhere such as traffic lights, you can flip up the front of the helmet to either converse comfortably with your fellow riders or pillion, or it may be to help cool you on a hot, summers day.

When you stop to refuel at a petrol station, most establishments request the removal of motorcycle helmets, however a quick flip up of the front of your helmet is usually acceptable, negating the necessity of full removal.

If you need to pull over for a quick drink, grab a snack or make a phone call, you do not need to remove the entire helmet, you can simply flip up the front of the helmet.

There are some disadvantages to the flip front helmet too, but these are down to your personal preference, as opposed to actual disadvantage of the helmet itself.

Due to the fact they have extra hardware built in for the flip, flip front helmets tend to be slightly heavier than that of their full-face counterparts.

Secondly, again due to the extra mechanisms they need to hold, a flip front helmet is usually slightly larger than a traditional full-face. The increase in helmet size may also cause an increase in wind noise when riding.

Finally, some tracks do not allow the use of flip front helmets when on track days – its always best to check the tracks regulations first!

You can see our full range of light, comfortable flip front helmets by clicking here or on the images to the right.